In the tufting of carpets and other, similar products, it is known to form patterns utilizing different colors and/or different pile tufts, including the formation of loop pile and cut pile tufts in a backing material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,953 discloses an apparatus and method for tufting spaced rows of loop pile tufts and cut pile tufts in a backing material using a multi-needle tufting machine having spaced, transverse rows of needles that cooperate with loop pile loopers or cut pile hooks mounted therebelow, along the upstream and downstream sides of the tufting machine. It additionally has been known to form sculpted or similar tufted patterns having different pile heights of tufts formed in the backing materials in order to form different looks or patterns. Still further, tufting techniques have been adapted for use in forming artificial synthetic turf fabrics, which can include a series of different pile height tufts of the synthetic grass yarns in order to provide for desired fill, ball bounce, roll, etc., for such artificial grass or turf fabrics.
It further can be seen that a continuing need exists for a system and method for controlling the yarn feeds in a tufting machine to form patterned carpets having enhanced pattern effects that addresses the foregoing related and unrelated problems and features in the art.